Greek Broadcaster Defying Order to Close

ATHENS, Greece — Journalists fired from Greece's state TV and radio have refused to leave the broadcaster's headquarters, continuing Internet programming, as the country's conservative-led government faced political crisis a year after taking office.

State TV and radio signals were cut early Wednesday after the government closed the Hellenic Broadcasting Corp., ERT, and fired its 2,500 workers, citing the need to cut "incredible waste" as the bailed out country endures a sixth year of recession.

But thousands of protesters remained outside ERT's giant headquarters north of Athens through the night as journalists continued a live broadcast, which was streamed online.

Journalist unions called a 24-hour strike, halting private television news programs, while the government's center-left coalition partners demanded that ERT's closure be reversed.

Journalists fired from Greece's state TV and radio have refused to leave the broadcaster's headquarters, continuing Internet programming, as the country's conservative-led government faced political crisis a year after taking office.